Chargeverter hook up question.

[rfbuehler]

I’m building an off grid setup.

I have a generator that will fire up on a contact closure (2 wire start)

I have 12 Lifepower4 batteries in two banks 60Kwh of battery.

I have a Chargeverter that I’ll be hooking up.

Can I leave it connected to the battery bank permanently so on low SOC, I’ll fire up the genset which in turn will power the Chargeverter,
I plan on an 80A charge. My solar provides me with a 200A charge on sunny days.

I have the ability to put a contactor on the battery bank side so with my Plc I can start Gen, run till stable then close dc, then close ac and reverse the steps to power off stop the ac open the dc the stop the genset.

Any thoughts or can I just leave it connected to the dc side.

Thanks.

 

[B-Mod]

Can leave dc connected, no issues

 

[dougbert]

I leave my DC breaker connected and switch the AC grid on/off triggered by either low bat voltage or time of day for OFF PEAK

Solar house generator I started DIY back in 2000 - My path from Trace to Xantrex (on FLA battery) to XW Pro inverters on Tesla Model S batteries

Capacitor excited generators definitely don't regulate very well. Here's a little info: http://electricalengineeringdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/07/capacitor-excitation-system-of.html thank you, lots of assistance from forum members

diysolarforum.com

 

[rfbuehler]

Good that’s what I want to do, so much cleaner.

 

[ksmithaz1]

This has the benefit of eliminating the huge spike when you flip the breaker on the CV. There is a small leech keeping the cap charged.

 

[timselectric]

My DC side is always connected and on.
AC side is controlled automatically as needed.

 

[dougbert]

your signature

awesome system you have there B-Mod

 

[wpns]

My DC side is always connected and on.
AC side is controlled automatically as needed.

I’m starting to think about doing this using the generator start contacts on my inverter, to enable the grid input when my battery gets sufficiently low. What would be an appropriate solid state relay or contactor to switch the AC input of the ChargeVerter with?

 

[timselectric]

I have used these for lots of projects.

https://a.co/d/1i0qkjg

 

[dougbert]

I’m starting to think about doing this using the generator start contacts on my inverter, to enable the grid input when my battery gets sufficiently low. What would be an appropriate solid state relay or contactor to switch the AC input of the ChargeVerter with?

I tried the cheap ($20) amazon ones, then one fried itself

researched and found this

FOR Crydom D2475-10 Solid-state relay​

yes, expensive

 

[Luk88]

Although it is fine to leave DC connected with a single battery I'm planning to be charging different voltage batteries with the same chargeverter. So I'm planning to use these to switch the DC side (my chargeverter psu has pretty good OCP).

 

[timselectric]

I'm planning to be charging different voltage batteries with the same chargeverter.

It's only designed for 48v batteries.
It can be set from 43v to 57v.
What voltage are your other batteries?

 

[wpns]

I tried the cheap ($20) amazon ones, then one fried itself

Cheap Amazon SSRs or relay/contactors?

 

[Luk88]

It's only designed for 48v batteries.
It can be set from 43v to 57v.
What voltage are your other batteries?

24V and 48V (8s and 16s lifepo4)

I should've clarified, I'm talking about a DIY chargeverter made of two of these: https://www.used4telecom.nl/product/ascom-power-supply-converter-smps-48v-1900w/

The spec is 40-60V(in reality CV is 36-60V), but in CC mode it goes as low as you want. I plan voltage monitoring and when the 24V battery reaches 27.6V (3.45v per cell) it'll be switched off.

 

[timselectric]

I should've clarified

Yes, that's not a chargeverter.

The spec is 40-60V(in reality CV is 36-60V), but in CC mode it goes as low as you want. I plan voltage monitoring and when the 24V battery reaches 27.6V (3.45v per cell) it'll be switched off.

Sounds risky, good luck.

 

[dougbert]

Cheap Amazon SSRs or relay/contactors?

SSR like these

https://www.amazon.com/HiLetgo-SSR-40DA-Single-Semi-Conductor-24-380V/dp/B01N0L5WSU/ref=sr_1_5?crid=C2QHTIGREPBQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ZEUHOo0SFCWEuH428__EhnTjBDyOLU_-7LlBXMoRoGKoVpKvYXIciJgci4KYbwR4em_ItL-T5oMWkC2m1VLuENYWGxyuUr2Jsl3MXdgDQhiN34x7kxGVZn8RtYf5y2ZfP2vRVnxAiDMGpq-p76xIsIXYV0E5qzBEzVhlrQkCr-I9pqvnlcsgbG-oos2vmHL4CgLEcbqOJ-8imtxdEv1g0054mJo8KXbN9vTO88sDLkA.KUeNCr-ZEN1rPGNW-5AJDSFEkqx8eZsDghDJ_5vZPso&dib_tag=se&keywords=solid%2Bstate%2Brelays&qid=1715459535&sprefix=solid%2Bstate%2Brelays%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-5&th=1

2 for $15 - smoke makers

 

[shazam]

I have used these for lots of projects.

https://a.co/d/1i0qkjg

Hey, Tim, et al....I bought one of these to put between my SA 15K and CV v1 to mimic your set-up (CV is currently the only thing wired directly into the new MEP, and the other end lands on my battery buss. I haven't needed to turn the CV on yet but winter is coming

The instructions that came with it are under-whelming...as in, none (understand this is not a dig on you). Looks like 4 main connections and 4 smaller ones. Any enlightenment on what goes where?....I can't find a diagram. Thanks in advance!

Jim

 

[dougbert]

yeah, where the coil contacts are is not clear

 

[shazam]

Thanks, dougbert!...and fast! I saw that on Amazon.

The personal problem I'm having is I'm techno-speak illiterate....don't know my COM from my NO from my NC. I know there are 2 hots and a neutral from the CV currently connected in the MEP, and there will be two wires from the gen. port on the SA. If I were a betting man (which I'm not on electrons) I would say the hots from the MEP go on the bottom two, the corresponding lines from the CV on the other end, the neutral goes straight thru outside this unit, and the two-wire-start wires go....somewhere?

 

[dougbert]

Thanks, dougbert!...and fast! I saw that on Amazon.

The personal problem I'm having is I'm techno-speak illiterate....don't know my COM from my NO from my NC.

COM common - but to what?
NO normally open
NC normally closed

I know there are 2 hots and a neutral from the CV currently connected in the MEP,

MEP ? I don't know everything either

and there will be two wires from the gen. port on the SA. If I were a betting man (which I'm not on electrons) I would say the hots from the MEP go on the bottom two, the corresponding lines from the CV on the other end,

Will need
Tim's help to be sure or get one on the table in front of you and experiment with it - right

the neutral goes straight thru outside this unit,

yeah

and the two-wires go....somewhere?

I wonder as well

 

[shazam]

MEP....main electrical panel. We basically made the old MEP the load panel, and installed a new one to have completely separate POCO power. The CV will be the only connection to it.

I've got one on the table in front of me It's not helping because nothing is connected to it....LOL!!!

Jim

 

[dougbert]

MEP....main electrical panel. We basically made the old MEP the load panel, and installed a new one to have completely separate POCO power. The CV will be the only connection to it.

I learned a new acronym, thanks. I do more on CLPs, (critical loads panel) solar does that to you

I've got one on the table in front of me It's not helping because nothing is connected to it....LOL!!!

Jim

mmmmm, I tried


@timselectric might get his attention

 

[shazam]

Thank you!

 

[wpns]

Watch out for the coil terminals, they are kinda fragile. Don't connect stiff wires to them, or they will break off the plastic base. Ask me how I know this....

 

[timselectric]

Watch out for the coil terminals, they are kinda fragile. Don't connect stiff wires to them, or they will break off the plastic base. Ask me how I know this....

Had the same thing happen on one of my first ones. But they seem to have improved it over time. But, it's still a good idea to be careful anyway.